Electrical – How to cut opening in 12″ pilaster block-columns for electrical box (porch light install)

concreteelectricallight

I have two 12"x12"pilaster block columns in my front porch with a poured lintel above and slab below. The pilasters are also poured solid with down-rods and rebar in footer. It is new construction. I would like to install a porch light on each column but have no idea how:

  1. To cut an opening to fit the electrical box (1 gang circular) in solid concrete.

  2. To pull cable through the block?

For #1 above:
Would i have to manually chisel out the squares? Or is there a square drill bit for sinking a box in solid concrete?

For #2 above:
I think it'll be difficult to drill through 12" of poured concrete and risk hitting rebar down-rods. Is it better to route some EMT conduit to the 1-gang box? If so, what type of 1-gang would i need and how far does it have to sink into the column?

Thanks in advance

Best Answer

Can you cut a groove in surface, and bury your conduit in that, then replaster/stucco the pillar.

Moving outside the box:

A: Make it symmetrical: that is, put a light on both sides. Now you have the same ugly everywhere.

B: Hide the conduit in some kind of raceway.

c: Be blatant and mount the conduit on the surface, then sheath the column with faux brick or stone.

D: Trench in a line to a distance away, and use a floodlight

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